New radiocarbon dates on the cereals from Wadi Kubbaniya

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1984 · Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.225.4662.645· OSTI ID:5863778

Wendorf, F; Schild, R; Close, A E; Donahue, D J; Jull, A J.T.; Zabel, T H; Wieckowska, H; Kobusiewicz, M; Issawi, B; el Hadidi, N

In 1978, three carbonized grains of barley and a carbonized grain of einkorn wheat were found in a buried hearth at a Late Paleolithic site at Wadi Kubbaniya in Egypt. In 1981, two large clusters of barley seeds, which were identified as six-row barley and thus domestic, were found at a nearby site of comparable age. Numerous grinding stones, presumed to have been used for processing the cereals, were found in these and other sites, often deeply buried, and 30 radiocarbon dates placed the occupations between 18,500 and 17,000 radiocarbon years ago. These finds led us to suggest an early origin of food production, with implications for the initial development of complex societies. Several barley seeds were analyzed by electron spin resonance spectroscopy to determine the maximal temperature to which they had been subjected before burial. Six barley seeds and three small pieces of wood charcoal were dated directly by using a tandem accelerator mass spectrometer.

• Research Organization: Southern Methodist Univ., Dallas, TX
• OSTI ID: 5863778
• Journal Information: Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States), Vol. 225
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
CEREALS
ELECTRON SPIN RESONANCE
ISOTOPE DATING
BARLEY
CARBON 13
CARBON 14
ISOTOPE RATIO
AGE ESTIMATION
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CARBON ISOTOPES
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
GRASS
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
MAGNETIC RESONANCE
NUCLEI
PLANTS
RADIOISOTOPES
RESONANCE
STABLE ISOTOPES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
550601* - Medicine- Unsealed Radionuclides in Diagnostics